Judicial systems in Member States

The Member State judicial systems are very diverse, reflecting differences in national judicial traditions. Below you will find general information on judicial systems in Member States – to obtain specific and detailed information please select one of the flags listed on the right hand side.
Courts
In most Member States, there are different branches of courts. Generally, three main types of courts can be identified:
ordinary courts,
specialised courts, and/or
courts dealing with constitutional matters.
The ordinary courts usually deal with disputes in civil matters (i.e. disputes between citizens and/or businesses) and/or criminal matters. In addition, many Member States have established courts for specific matters, such as disputes between public authorities and citizens or businesses (administrative matters, etc.).
Moreover, various Member States have an institution or court to ensure that their constitution is respected. Many of these courts or institutions can be asked to verify whether a certain law or legislation is in line with the constitutional requirements. Some of them can hear individual cases, but usually only as a last resort.